I Hope This Email Finds You Well

Neil Barrow

“I hope this email finds you well” is where business development gets real. Hosted by Neil Barrow, this show brings you candid conversations with business development professionals and leaders who know what it takes to grow. No fluff, no endless theory — just practical strategies, stories of wins (and failures), and the unfiltered lessons that actually move the needle. Whether you’re building your pipeline, closing bigger deals, or rethinking how you approach growth, each episode gives you tools you can use today. Listen in, level up, and let’s make business development simple, sustainable, and successful.

  1. Holding Yourself Accountable in BD | with Abby Fuqua

    4d ago

    Holding Yourself Accountable in BD | with Abby Fuqua

    In this episode of I Hope This Email Finds You Well, Neil Barrow sits down with Abby Fuqua of Venturity to discuss the hard truths of driving revenue in professional services. Abby shares her unconventional journey from having the cops called on her during door-to-door cold-calling to becoming a top-performing business development driver.Abby pulls back the curtain on why she willingly stepped down from a VP management role to return to the trenches. She breaks down the "militaristic" time management required to balance aggressive pipeline goals with raising three kids, why you have to track leading indicators instead of lagging outcomes, and how to successfully navigate the evolution of a professional network. From delegating CRM tasks to running mutual-qualification discovery calls, this episode is the ultimate playbook for taking extreme ownership of your firm's growth.Chapters:00:00:00 Introduction00:02:09 The BD Combo Meal00:07:09 Building Resilience00:09:08 The Professional Services Shift00:10:48 The 15-Meeting Metric00:14:01 Cross-Pollination00:18:32 Managing the Network00:21:48 The Discovery Process00:26:19 The Abundance Mindset00:27:24 The Player-Coach Trap00:32:00 Stepping Down to Drive Revenue00:34:39 Militaristic Time Management00:43:27 Tracking Your Inputs00:46:58 Flattening the Rollercoaster00:48:36 Getting Back to Basics

    51 min
  2. Marketing In Business Development: How to Actually Drive Revenue | with Tracy Kapteyn

    May 27

    Marketing In Business Development: How to Actually Drive Revenue | with Tracy Kapteyn

    In this episode of I Hope This Email Finds You Well, Neil Barrow is joined by Tracy Kapteyn, the Chief Growth Officer at Duffy Kruspodin, to break down why so many marketing departments fail to generate actual firm revenue. Tracy explains the "Ivory Tower" trap - where marketing teams get completely disconnected from the boots on the ground - and shares the exact playbook for aligning marketing efforts with the realities of business development. From getting back to the unglamorous basics of pipeline visibility and referral tracking, to overcoming the partner egos that block cross-selling, this episode provides a masterclass on shifting your firm's focus from brand awareness to tangible lead generation. Tracy also details her proprietary "3x3x3" relationship framework for client retention and reveals how she is building custom AI agents to remove the friction of M&A research and cross-pollination. Chapters: 00:00:00 Intro 00:01:13 The Combo Meal: BD Basics & Pipeline Visibility 00:02:40 Why Firm Growth is a Team Sport 00:04:40 AI as the "Supersize" for Enablement 00:06:16 Tracy's Career: Customer Service to CGO 00:07:31 Escaping the Marketing Ivory Tower 00:11:51 Centralizing Inbound & Referral Tracking 00:14:35 Overcoming the "Partner-Led" Approach 00:17:52 The 3x3x3 Relationship Framework 00:21:46 Building an AI Client Discovery Agent 00:25:49 The Partner Ego Trap in Cross-Selling 00:28:48 The Spray Chart Analogy for Firm Initiatives 00:33:36 The Prospecting Agent & Removing Partner Friction 00:34:41 Automating M&A Target Research

    36 min
  3. The Art & Science Of BD | with Stacy Dreher

    May 13

    The Art & Science Of BD | with Stacy Dreher

    In this episode of I Hope This Email Finds You Well, Neil Barrow sits down with Stacey Dreher, the Chief Growth Officer at James Moore & Co., to unpack why having a "great personality" alone is no longer enough to win high-level corporate deals. Stacey breaks down her proprietary "B.A.T." Framework (Behavior, Attitude, Technique), explaining why business developers must stop acting like vendors, detach their emotions from the outcome, and start treating themselves as equal peers to the C-Suite. She also reveals the counter-intuitive playbook she used to hire her firm's first dedicated BD professional - starting them purely on inbound opportunities to guarantee early wins and build trust with skeptical partners. If your firm relies purely on charisma rather than process, this episode provides the exact roadmap to build a rigorous two-year growth training culture, ruthlessly disqualify bad leads, and capitalize on the low-hanging fruit of your existing client base. Chapters: 00:00:00 – Intro: Why "Having a Great Personality" Doesn't Close Deals 00:01:36 – The "Combo Meal": Treating BD as a Science 00:03:05 – The Disqualification Playbook & Time Management 00:05:01 – The B.A.T. Framework (Behavior, Attitude, Technique) 00:06:53 – Stop Acting Like a Vendor: The Peer-to-Peer Mindset 00:08:18 – Driving 98% of New Business in the Legal Industry 00:14:36 – Transitioning to the CPA Space (Where Are the BDs?) 00:21:14 – The "Inbound-First" Strategy: How to Make Your First BD Hire Succeed 00:25:51 – Defining Your ICP (Ideal Client Profile) by Industry 00:28:10 – From "Four-Letter Word" to a 2-Year Growth Training Program 00:30:29 – Back to Basics: Cross-Pollination and the Client Ranking System About the Guest: Stacey Dreher is the Chief Growth Officer at James Moore & Co., a CPA-led advisory firm based in Florida. With over 20 years of experience driving revenue in both the legal and accounting industries, she specializes in building elite business development teams, aligning marketing with aggressive origination quotas, and driving long-term cultural transformation within professional service firms.

    33 min
  4. Building a Legendary 30-Year BD Reputation | with Tony Banks

    Apr 29

    Building a Legendary 30-Year BD Reputation | with Tony Banks

    In this episode of I Hope This Email Finds You Well, Neil Barrow sits down with Tony Banks, the Director of Private Equity Services at RSM, to unpack what it actually takes to build a bulletproof, decades-long career in Business Development. Tony shares his incredible, non-linear journey to the top of the private equity space, proving that you don't need an MBA or a technical finance background to build a legendary corporate network. He reveals how he landed a million-dollar contract for the Atlanta Olympics using a payphone outside a Waffle House, how he survived an insane 23-interview gauntlet at Goldman Sachs, and why volunteering for the "grunt work" of stamping parking tickets completely transformed his trajectory. At the core of his 30-year success is one profoundly simple piece of advice: "Do stuff, and stuff happens." Inside This Episode: The "Do Stuff" Philosophy: Why proactive, relentless action is the only way to build a reputation that lasts for decades. The Waffle House Deal: How a stack of quarters and a payphone led to a massive Olympic contract. The Non-Expert Advantage: Why not being the technical practitioner allows you to be the ultimate "connector" and add massive value to Centers of Influence. The Parking Ticket Playbook: Why swallowing your pride to do menial networking tasks puts you face-to-face with the biggest players in your industry. Extreme Intentionality: How Tony structures his week, manages his pipeline, and aligns with firm partners to uncover hidden opportunities. Chapters: 00:00:00 – The $1M Olympic Deal from a Waffle House Payphone 00:04:11 – Breaking Into the Industry Without a Finance Degree 00:07:43 – The Consultative Mindset: Building Trust Instead of Pitching 00:13:38 – Targeting Foundations to Build a High-Net-Worth Network 00:16:34 – The "Connector" Superpower: Winning Deals Without Technical Jargon 00:20:45 – Surviving 23 Interviews at Goldman Sachs 00:27:17 – Becoming the "Face of the Firm" in Professional Services 00:35:15 – Stamping Parking Tickets: The Ultimate Networking Hack 00:38:20 – The "Do Stuff" Philosophy: The Secret to a 30-Year Reputation 00:46:11 – How to Stay Relentlessly Intentional and Create Opportunity Daily About the Guest: Tony Banks is the Director of Private Equity Services at RSM. With a 30-year career spanning manufacturing, Goldman Sachs, and top-tier accounting firms, Tony has built a legendary reputation as one of the premier relationship-builders and connectors in the private equity space.

    49 min
  5. Building Client Trust When You Aren't The Technical Expert | with Danielle Reynolds

    Apr 15

    Building Client Trust When You Aren't The Technical Expert | with Danielle Reynolds

    In this episode of I Hope This Email Finds You Well, Neil Barrow sits down with Danielle Reynolds, the Business Development Leader at Whitley Penn, to unpack one of the biggest misconceptions in professional services: the idea that you need to be a technical expert to win high-value corporate deals. Transitioning from campus recruiting into a premier business development role, Danielle shares why not being a CPA is actually her biggest advantage. Without the burden of technical jargon, she explains how she builds deeper trust, asks better big-picture questions, and positions herself as an invaluable "connector" for her prospects. Danielle also breaks down her highly structured pipeline strategies, including how to build a frictionless inbound web-lead process, the 365-day rule for reviving "closed-lost" proposals, and why her firm hired a dedicated associate to run outbound campaigns. Chapters: 00:00:35 – Intro: Welcome Danielle Reynolds 00:01:34 – From Campus Recruiting to Leading Business Development 00:06:06 – Why Selling to Interns is Exactly Like B2B Sales 00:10:40 – The Non-Expert Advantage: Why Not Being a CPA is a Superpower 00:14:30 – Building a "Go-Giver" Network and Asking for Intros 00:21:24 – The Ultimate Question to Ask Every Single Prospect 00:24:40 – Delegating Outbound: Hiring a Dedicated BD Associate 00:26:07 – Stop Wasting Web Leads: Rebuilding the Inbound Pipeline 00:35:03 – The 30-Minute Discovery Playbook for Frictionless Intake 00:46:04 – The 365-Day Rule: How to Revive "Closed-Lost" Deals 00:49:23 – Using Intent Data to Find Prospects Actively Searching for You 00:51:28 – LinkedIn Strategy: Finding New CFOs and Getting Warm Intros 00:58:28 – Why BD and Marketing Must Be Strictly Aligned 01:02:19 – Final Thoughts: The Crucial Balance of Confidence and Humility

    1h 4m
  6. A Mother & Daughter in BD: Bridging 25 Years of Industry Evolution

    Apr 1

    A Mother & Daughter in BD: Bridging 25 Years of Industry Evolution

    Join Neil Barrow for a one-of-a-kind episode featuring a mother-daughter Business Development duo: Kelly (a 25-year BD executive in professional services) and Molly (who is 18 months into her BD/Investor Relations career at a financial services firm).In this episode, we bridge the generational gap to uncover the timeless truths of generating high-value conversations. Kelly shares her journey from grinding out 45 cold calls a day in wholesale lending to navigating complex, matrixed professional service deals with the C-suite. Molly reveals how she leverages modern tactics - like direct LinkedIn DMs and 2:00 AM emails - to secure meetings with executives decades her senior. We also dive into overcoming the "head trash" of cold calling, why a "high motor" is the ultimate hiring metric, and why taking career risks early on is essential for massive growth. Outline:00:00:44 Intro: Neil Barrow welcomes Kelly and Molly Krohn to discuss their BD experiences.00:01:34 How Kelly got her start 25 years ago making 45 cold calls a day in wholesale lending.00:06:32 Overcoming "head trash" and the internal conflict of picking up the phone.00:09:10 Navigating the 2008 crash and transitioning to C-level treasury sales.00:14:28 Molly on translating technical jargon and building confidence as a young professional.00:19:40 The three-sentence rule: Why long emails fail and how to build curiosity instead.00:28:10 Why you must ask for referrals and use professional persistence to build influence.00:38:02 Hiring for BD: Why consistency and a "high motor" are the most crucial traits.00:43:58 Balancing internal and external responsibilities and setting proper expectations.00:46:16 Context switching: How Molly structures her week across marketing, follow-ups, and outreach.00:53:48 The major differences between traditional sales and matrixed professional services BD.01:06:04 Trusting your intuition and the importance of authenticity in outreach.01:09:59 Kelly’s current "Greenfield" strategy: Combining direct outreach with internal detective work.01:17:45 Molly’s strategy for landing meetings through LinkedIn DMs and late-night emails.01:23:05 Final thoughts: Overcoming the fear of cold calling and the importance of taking bold career risks.

    1h 26m
  7. Curing the "Lone Ranger" Mentality & Building a Unified BD Culture | with Todd Arritola

    Mar 18

    Curing the "Lone Ranger" Mentality & Building a Unified BD Culture | with Todd Arritola

    In this episode of I Hope This Email Finds You Well, Neil Barrow sits down with Todd Arritola, Chief Business Development Officer at Winstead, to discuss his 30-year journey through the evolution of professional services BD. Starting in the mid-90s at a Big 6 accounting firm and transitioning into Big Law, Todd shares the tactical shifts necessary to move a firm from a siloed "Lone Ranger" culture to a collaborative, revenue-generating powerhouse. Todd breaks down why the cliché "What's keeping you up at night?" question immediately flags you as an amateur salesperson, and how to approach discovery calls with a distinct point of view instead. They also dive into the power of experiential networking (like M&A roundtables), the critical role of "Pitch Captains" in pre-meeting prep, and why aligning your firm by Industry rather than Practice Group is the ultimate key to landing enterprise clients. Outline: 00:00:00 Intro: Tracking BD in the Mid-90s at a Big 6 Accounting Firm 00:05:43 Wearing all the hats in a Dot-Com startup 00:08:14 Why making assumptions on discovery calls kills your credibility 00:09:30 Stop asking "What's keeping you up at night?" (The cliché trap) 00:12:53 The "Lone Ranger" Problem: Partners selling in silos 00:14:49 Rethinking Key Account Management and cross-selling 00:21:35 Balancing individual personality with BD expectations 00:31:35 Experiential BD: Winning work through M&A roundtables 00:37:55 Becoming the Chief Business Development Officer at Winstead 00:43:00 Going to Market Together: Industry vs. Practice Group 00:51:16 The role of the "Pitch Captain" and pre-meeting prep 00:59:08 2026 Strategy: Content, Lateral Integration, and Internal BD Training About the Guest:Todd Arritola is the Chief Business Development Officer at Winstead, a leading national law firm. With three decades of experience spanning Big 6 accounting, dot-com startups, M&A deal strategy, and Big Law, he specializes in building collaborative, industry-focused business development cultures that drive sustainable growth.

    1h 2m
  8. Managing the Disconnect Between Leadership and the BD Team

    Mar 4

    Managing the Disconnect Between Leadership and the BD Team

    Join Neil Barrow for a masterclass on organizational alignment with Julianna Brooks, Director of Business Development and Strategy for Bradford Commercial. Julianna shares her unique career trajectory from analyzing financial data to becoming the crucial bridge between corporate boardrooms and boots-on-the-ground revenue generators. In this episode, Julianna outlines a clear playbook for managing the massive disconnect that happens when executives set aggressive growth mandates without understanding market realities. She breaks down how to translate boardroom expectations into actionable daily metrics, how to establish a "bullpen" to guide first-year team members, and how business development professionals can effectively manage up by becoming the ultimate market feedback loop for leadership. Outline: 00:00:00 Intro: From financial analyst to corporate strategy 00:03:16 Following the money to understand client decisions 00:08:05 The massive disconnect between the board and the frontline team 00:12:09 Why the easiest clients are actually losing you money 00:14:29 Why an "action orientation" beats the best territory 00:19:50 Delivering a 50-page strategy vs. picking up the phone 00:21:56 How to recover from a botched cold call and win the deal 00:28:03 The 5-minute research limit and calendar time-blocking 00:35:08 Defining your firm's identity to attract the right clients 00:42:03 Setting the goal to become a Top 10 property management firm 00:48:15 "The Bullpen": Coaching first-year brokers through burnout 00:57:30 Managing up: Using BD as the firm's market feedback loop About the Guest: Julianna Brooks is the Director of Business Development and Strategy at Bradford Commercial Real Estate Services. With a background in FP&A and corporate strategy across the oil & gas and tech sectors, she specializes in aligning executive growth goals with realistic, boots-on-the-ground business development execution.

    1 hr
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Ratings & Reviews

5
out of 5
12 Ratings

About

“I hope this email finds you well” is where business development gets real. Hosted by Neil Barrow, this show brings you candid conversations with business development professionals and leaders who know what it takes to grow. No fluff, no endless theory — just practical strategies, stories of wins (and failures), and the unfiltered lessons that actually move the needle. Whether you’re building your pipeline, closing bigger deals, or rethinking how you approach growth, each episode gives you tools you can use today. Listen in, level up, and let’s make business development simple, sustainable, and successful.

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